NATURAL ENEMIES

US, 1979, 90 minutes. Colour.
Hal Holbrook, Louise Fletcher, Jose Ferrer, Viveca Lindfors, Patricia Elliott.
Directed by Jeff Kanew.

Natural Enemies is a depressing, even grim, but often perceptive look at contemporary marriage and despair. A small budget project, written and directed by Jeff Kanew, it focuses on an ordinary successful American couple, shows in flashbacks the breakdown of their marriage and the nervous breakdown of the wife. However, it focuses on one day in the life of the husband, gives his interpretation of it as well as his intention to shoot his family and himself. The film takes as its reflection point the numerous headlines in which husbands are shown to have mysteriously shot their families and themselves. Hal Holbrook has a very demanding role which he plays forcefully in low key. Louise Fletcher emerges, by the end of the film, as persuasive in the role of the wife. There are guest roles by Jose Ferrer and Viveca Lindfors. Stylised as well as attempting to be realistic, the film has a great deal to say. As entertainment, many audiences would not enjoy the film. As a means of communicating contemporary questions, the film has great values.

1. The emphases of the title? Expectations? Irony? Relationships, marriage, love and hostility? The film as a slice of life, heightened?

2. For what audience was the film made? American audiences? International? Adult audiences? Married couples? The impact of the film in the cinema entertainment, instruction? Its impact on television and the parallels with serious telemovies? The characterisations and audience identification? Listening to the talk and reflection? The danger of the accusation of pretentiousness? How true was the characterisation, presentation of issues? A feel for people? Understanding?

3. The Connecticut and New York backgrounds? The family home and its use? The trains? Offices? New York streets, restaurants, brothels? The colour photography? The musical score and its subdued tone? The devices of editing: for realism, for memory, for imagination? The ironies of Paul's interior monologues and what the audience was seeing? Creative tension for insight?

4. The structure of the film: one day in the life of Paul Steward? The details of the day? His initial description of what was to happen? Following this through? The contrast of the visuals and the talk? The anticipation of the killing? The importance of Paul's encounters with Miriam, the family, the astronaut, his friend Harry, Dr. Baker, the prostitutes, the woman in the train? Meeting Miriam and the build-up to the climax? The film's shift of emphasis from seeing everything from Paul's point of view to that of Miriam?

5. The character of Paul: the American male, midlife crisis, 48? Hal Holbrook and his skills in interpreting Paul? Appearance, low-key playing? The close-ups and the worried expression? The severity of his judgment on himself and life? The contrast with his appearances in the flashbacks? The pressures of the day and the build up to his breaking and seeming to weep at the end? The actual killing of his family or the potential killing of his family? Holbrook's voice making credible the thoughts of the tormented man? The blend of actions, memories and their counterpoint? The growing obsession about killing? The people encountered and testing his views? Altering his day? Relationships and sexuality? The strong emphasis on sexuality in his comments, on the visit to the brothel? The moving towards the climax and the encounter with the woman on the train? The final confrontation with Miriam? The presentation of the headline at the end ? did it happen or not? The story behind such headlines?

6. Paul and his estimate of himself as a man, as husband, father? His acidic comments on his children? on his relationship with Miriam and his not divorcing her? His age and the repercussions of midlife crisis? His work and his skill with the magazine, phoniness, business, ambitions of writers and contributors? The emphasis on sexuality and the purpose of his visit to the brothel, the five women, his talking to them, activity? Miriam and the memories of the early marriage, thoughts of divorce, holidays in Spain and the young man looking at Miriam, the build-up to her breakdown, his anxiety about her in hospital, the shock treatment, reassuring her, her return home, their separate rooms? His visit to her in the morning? Her permitting him to stay or not? His final day and his waking up, comments, going to Miriam, sexual relationship, getting the gun, the atmosphere of breakfast, the drive to the station, the phone calls to Miriam during the day, the meetings and the talk? Getting the gun on his return home? The significance of the walk and analysis of the situation with Miriam? The possibility of reconciliation?

7. The relationship with the prostitutes as contrast with Miriam? The Madam, the individual girls? The film's focus on relationship, sensuality, lewdness? The prostitutes talking amongst themselves and trying to analyse Paul? An ironic comment on his adequacy and inadequacy?

8. The irony of Miriam and her reaction to Paul during the day, taking him to the station, cleaning the room, finding the gun, the phone call and anxiety, the phone call from Harry? Meeting him at the station? Their talk, Paul's amazement at her understanding and knowing so much? Her declaration of love?

9. The portrait of Miriam ? as seen and judged by Paul? The opening sexual relationship, breakfast.. car rides, phone calls., his secretary and the possible relationship with her? Her marriage to Paul, bringing up the children, the interlude in Spain, the breakdown, the shock treatment? Seeing her more realistically as the film went on, and more sympathetically?

10. The children and Paul's comment on each of them? Contemporary children meals, eating or not eating, television, interests? The lack of bonds between children and father? His picturing himself shooting them?

11. Paul and his work, science background, the quality of the magazine, the secretary and her arranging his life, the potential relationship? Paul as a successful editor?

12. The significance of the visit of the astronaut? His experience of being on the moon and its effect on him? The uniqueness of the experience? Paul's interaction with him? His being a catalyst for Paul's reflections? Isolation? The astronaut and the inadequacy of communicating his experience? A symbol for Paul?

13. Harry as a friend, the memories of the concentration camp, the reactions of young Americans in 1978? Wanting to write the article? Prison and persecution an dits relationship to Paul's situation? Harry's ringing Miriam? The later meeting and his anxiety about Paul's talk of killing the family?

14. Dr. Baker and psychology? psychoanalysis? Sympathy? The analysis of the truth behind his anxieties and the discussion of the headlines?

15. The woman in the train and her description of her husband? accurately describing Paul? Her husband not knowing her? The comparison of the woman in the train with Miriam’s feelings? Her wanting lovemaking in the train? The visuals of the two people trapped in the tunnel in the train analysing and communicating?

16. The background of life in New York city on one day, travel, office work, encounters with people, the streets, brothel, restaurant, train?

17. The lack of explicit resolution at the end of the film? The openness for audience interpretation? The significance of the story behind the headlines?

18. Themes of individuals and life, choices and meaning, changes, sharing, relationships, marriage, sexuality, despair? A fable and allegory about contemporary society? A plea for understanding and communication?